One For The Team

A debut release can be a daunting time for a solo artist, figuring out the numerous steps between writing a collection of songs to letting them loose for the world to hear in a manner that doesn't send one broke, mad and wishing for a simpler vocation with a clearly mapped path. Bubbly Melbourne songstress Emmy Bryce, who describes her music as polaroid pop, has quickly realised the value of teamwork with the release of her vibrant debut EP Seven Days, even when it comes to other musicians who might otherwise be considered a threat.  

“I think what struck me is that a lot of people see other artists as their competition. I just don't see that – we need to really build a community of musicians around each other and support each other. It's such a small industry – everyone knows everybody so we always need to band together and do what we need to do I think,” she says thoughtfully.

Backing this sentiment up, Bryce approached fellow Melburnian Kate Vigo to join her on the road across five states on The Hunter And Gatherer Tour.

“A friend of mine dragged me along to one of her shows, and I was just blown away – she's an amazing performer. I joined her mailing list and I followed what she was doing and how she was going and kind of like used her as a – what do you call it when they're like a level of where you should be? Like a pinpoint or whatever that word is,” she says full of giggles, explaining that a chance meeting with Vigo's manager planted the joint tour idea. “[Kate and I] went out for a coffee and we got along, and that was it really – we decided to go for it!” she says, chatting with great speed and animation.

Bryce's vivacious spirit will sit nicely alongside Vigo's soulful pop, offering audiences a balance of the girls' distinctly different personalities.

“Me and Kate are really different people – I'm very kind of, not in your face, but kind of a bit louder and a bit more boisterous,” she guffaws. “Kate is the most gentle and beautiful soul and she's so chilled out; we are the yin and the yang of The Hunter And Gatherer tour… We do a planning workshop once a week together and we're always on the phone but yeah we haven't spent [time in] cramped hotel rooms with nine band members between us, trying to fit into a tour bus… I think we'll be okay. The good thing is with other chicks you get to go, 'You bring the hair straightener, I'll bring the hair dryer' – we can save on luggage!”

In an effort to offset the costs of embarking on a nine-date tour, Bryce took the advice of an old hand in the industry and offered various packages of incentives centred on the Seven Days release through crowd-funding platform PledgeMusic.

“I'm doing some unofficial mentoring with Angie Hart [of Frente fame] at the moment; she's the most divine woman and I was her biggest fan when I was growing up. I had her first CD at 13 and I just loved her, so the fact that she spends time and helps me is great, and she was the one that got me onto PledgeMusic… Being an independent artist, it's just awesome to see the support people give to you – it costs a bucketload of money to take a whole band on the road but it's something that you need to do to get yourself out there.”